Chessie & PeakeFriend: Marshall Reece AAØGL - USA
Chessie, AKA "Chesapeake", came into her friend's life as a stray that wandered up to him on October 14, 1991. She survived to the age of nearly 17-1/2 years, going to the Rainbow Bridge on April 8, 2009. During her life, she was the most faithful friend and companion, and obtained a younger "brother" Peake, a Siamese, in November, 2006. Although reluctant to welcome another into her queendom, she grew to accept him and he frequently would help groom her in her later days.

Although bearing no resemblance to the famous spokescat of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, she was named after the popular advertising campaign and often slept with her head on a pillow in a very similar pose. Her much younger "brother" was named, naturally, for the "Old Man," also part of the railroad's advertising campaign of the 1940s.

Chessie always enjoyed hanging around the radio shack and would invariably find the most comfortable place to curl up was on the logbook in the early days, and the computer keyboard later, as technology further advanced. She also loved to climb on top of the 6 foot radio rack and watch her world, both indoors and out, from that vantage point. During the winter she also enjoyed a spot near the equipment cooling fans, and often took an opportunity to send a few dots and dashes over the air when she would bat at the Morse code keyer!

Chessie was diagnosed with a slight heart murmur in 2004, but remained quite healthy until Valentine's day of 2009 when she suddenly became very ill and was diagnosed with feline CRF and cancer, losing 1/3 of her body weight in a matter of weeks. She will be dearly missed by all her friends.